FLO Flashcards
Role of the FLO
The role of the FLO involves the day to day management of the partnership between the family of the deceased and the Police investigation. The FLO is an investigator and not a support person however during their duties will help to facilitate and coordinate support services to the family
The Family Liaison Plan
- The selection and criteria for the FLO
- The objectives of the FLO
- exit plan
- Information to be shred/withheld from the family
- the best approach to conduct interviews
- requests by the family not adhered to and why
- complaints by the family
The term family means
- partners, sibling, parents, guardians, whanau
- includes chosen family
- should reflect the victims culture and lifestyle
Risk assessment
- Suitability of the officer for retention in the role
- Whether additional FLOs are required
- The needs and wants of the family
Suspect within the family
- Investigative impact on deploying the FLO
- the safety and welfare of the FLO
- increased monitoring of the FLO
- the need for documentation of contact and interaction with the family
- not using the FLO for arrests
- the level of information disclosed or withheld
Before meeting family. FLO must
- liaise with the OC around parameters of information to be shared/withheld from the family
- familiarise themselves with the enquiry
familiarise themselves with the family dynamics, culture, religion - establish what contact with police they’ve had
- establish what info they have
- establish what info is already public
Witnesses within the family
- The availability of the witness
- If the witness will need special considerations
- any particular needs of the witness
- the optimum approach to interviewing the witness
Record keeping
The FLO should have a dedicated notebook for recording interactions with the family. This should be reviewed at regular intervals by the OC investigation
Durign the early stages the FLO must
- Provide immediate information on the investigation and explain what happens next i.e post mortem
- Provide the NOK booklet
- access if there is any immediate evidence to be gathered from the family
- act quickly if a family member has been threatened or intimidated
- protect the family from media intrusion
- arrange temp housing
Who can take Victim Impact statements
Homicide trained victim support volunteers
Financial support
- $1500 for families of homicide victims
- Free counselling for families of murder and manslaughter victims
- Acc to help pay for burials, ceremonies etc
Disclosure to the family
family should be notified of
- programmes and services available to them
- the progress of the investigation
- The familiarise role of as witnesses in the prosecution
Where the offender is arrested, FLO must
- Inform the family of their rights to go on the VNR
- attain their views on bail
- inform the family of any charges laid
- inform of any applications by the offender regarding name suppression
- details of bail application
- time and dates of court appearances
ID the body
Family must be provided with as much information about the condition of the body as possible before viewing it
Media
- Consult with the family before releasing info about victim
- consult with the family about media appeal
- consult with the family about using a photo of the victim
- prepare the family for likely media interest
appraise the OC of media activity
